Mallikarjun Kharge was speaking in Rajya Sabha
On a day full of barbs and swipes exchanged by the government and the Opposition, the Rajya Sabha witnessed some moments of laughter, thanks to India's double win at the Oscars yesterday.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president and Leader of the Opposition, was speaking in Rajya Sabha today on India's glory at the Oscars. Congratulating the winners, he said it is a matter of great pride for India. He also pointed out the south India connection of the winners -- 'Naatu Naatu' song from RRR and the short documentary, 'The Elephant Whisperers'.
"We are very proud, but my only request is that the ruling party should not take credit and say 'we have directed, we have written, Modi ji has directed'. They should not say that. That is my only request," Mr Kharge said.
The remarks were met with a peal of laughter, not just from the Opposition members, but also from the treasury benches. Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar was seen laughing, and so was Leader of the House Piyush Goyal. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav were seen smiling too.
Incidentally, Mr Goyal yesterday wrote a social media post titled "Rajya Sabha Nominations - An Oscar for Prime Minister's Office" in which he drew a parallel between the prestigious award and the Prime Minister's choice of nominated members to Rajya Sabha.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has left his stamp of quality in nominating members to the Rajya Sabha by choosing outstanding personalities who have made a mark in diverse fields such as Indian culture, social work and sports," the minister wrote.
In the Facebook post, the minister said V Vijayendra Prasad, scriptwriter of RRR, was among those nominated to the Upper House in 2022.
"The scriptwriter from Andhra Pradesh has been associated with the creative world for decades. Last year, Prime Minister Modi ji recognised his greatness and said 'his works showcase India's glorious culture and have made a mark globally'. Today, the global spotlight is on 'RRR' for winning an Oscar for the original song 'Naatu Naatu'. This is a global endorsement of the Prime Minister's choice," Mr Goyal added.
RRR's 'Naatu Naatu' song won the Oscar for 'Original Song' and 'The Elephant Whisperers' bagged the award in the Best Documentary (Short Subject). The Prime Minister congratulated the winners yesterday and said they had made the country proud.